DISRUPTED RESOLUTIONS

As usual motivation to fulfill the “new” resolutions only last the time you write them on a list. Once your mind is at peace, old habits come back and things you wanted to change are once again postponed for next year. What about something different for 2017? What about a disrupted resolutions list?

Disruption, THE trendy word that is used and applied to so many things. It is the new black of business’ vocabulary. Out the “innovative”, “revolutionary”, “3.0” let’s place to “disrupted” something. Of course beyond being a trendy business word, disruption is a whole concept used to describe how the market is working since the widespread of new business model relying on digital technology. However, although it has been largely used these last few years, the trademark has been created and owned since 1992 by TBWA*. Having attended to Jean-Marie Dru’s keynote speech, at Crystal Apple Festival of Creativity in 2014, the current Chairman of TBWA Agency Network explained that disruption is a dynamic methodology turned to creation, the idea of questioning conventions of the market to come out with radically innovative products and services. In the beginning of 2016 in Le Nouvel Obs magazine, Jean Marie Dru said that “disrupted innovation is an innovation of rupture, by opposition to incremental innovation, which focuses on optimizing the current state”.

Do more/some sport. What a classic, especially after year-end holidays, which usually comes along with rich meals. The projection of summer holidays is also a key influencer, especially when you have Victoria’s Secret défilé on New Year’s Eve, reminding you some physical differences between Angels and non-Angels. We know and sometimes forget that to look like models in magazines is a full-time job. But sport is an activity to keep you healthy, stress out, and challenge your own capacity, right? In France as of January 2017, the mention “retouched photo” will be mandatory for photos modified by software such as Photoshop. Pretty good news! Some fashion brands such as Debenhams (2013) or Aerie (2014), are already using not modified photos to advert their products. Who is next?

Eat better and healthier. What a challenge! Although, organic food is more and more sold on supermarkets’ shelters, it is still difficult to understand what is healthy and healthier, after all potato chips remain potato chips even organic. Unless one reads in details the ingredient list, understands their meaning and effects on one’s body and calculates its calories need, at one glance it is quite challenging to guess whether it is healthy or not when the box of cereals is grabbed. In France, 2017 should welcome an easy-readable nutritional information labeling: Nutri-Score, a colored ranking created by Serge Hercberg, going from E (red, less good nutritional quality) to A (green, best nutritional quality). The grading is defined based on the food composition itself.

Source: Le Monde – Example of Nutritional Quality Scale of the National Health Nutrition Program

That would be great if sourcing and sustainability impact were considered as well. But just let’s hope that it will emulate the last-in-class to reach higher ranking, as it did for level of hygiene of restaurants when such information has become public since July 2016 in France. Putting it in the restaurant window is mandatory in cities like NYC but not yet in Paris…

Recycle. Have you ever noticed that in your office there is some lack of recycling bins? Even if there are some, have you ever noticed that janitors are actually emptying the whole garbage bins into… one? But anyway at personal level recycling is still possible when of course your municipality puts at your disposal the right containers. Recycling is a thing, but reducing our garbage is the true challenge, since every year we dump 2,12 billions tons of waste according to The World Counts. Besides, in The Guardian Melinda Warson, founder of Raw Foundation says 72% of our plastic consumption is either ending in landfill (40%) or leaks out the collection system (32%). Having recently travelled to NYC, I was quite surprised to see the number of plastic bags sellers were ready to give for free**! At Whole Foods Market you can choose between paper and plastic bags, but still, you can come out with many bags! Two young girls have initiated the change with Bye Bye Plastic Bags. They convinced the governor of Bali to ban plastic bags by 2018. Our modern life has led us to become lazy in our way of consuming especially when you see peeled oranges in plastic box… For mass change, regulations can help, but in our disrupted society it seems that Kardashians are more efficient in drawing attention elsewhere.

Get a nice job. Envying Google or start-ups atmosphere? Or wish to have an original job such as Emoji translator? Maybe it is time to ask yourself the right questions. Decoration, entertainment, more and more companies have increased their efforts in creating a happiness area for their employees. Creation of positions such as Chief Happiness Officer starts to be advertised on job boards and use of “funsultants” services (fun + consultants) are rising. However, as underlined by Andre Spicer, co-author of The Wellness Syndrome, in The Guardian, “the cult of compulsory happiness is ruining our workplaces“. What would be a nice job? For Millennials, working in an ethical organization is key. Now the job description is not sufficient anymore; tasks and responsibilities still matter but the whole organization is taken into account to define a nice job.

Disruption is a 90’s concept but widely used in the 2010’s. Emojis are also used in Japan since the 90’s but widely spread since the advent of smartphones. Shall we wait the 2020’s to ensure more sustainability-oriented business and habits?

*created by the agency BDDP before it has been acquired by Omnicom in 1998, and merged with TBWA.

**In France since July 2016 plastic bags cannot be given at markets, supermarkets etc. cashier. The main purpose is to reduce environmental impacts due to plastic bags, inciting people to be more responsible and raise their awareness.